By Lucy Manly
Sydneysiders ate, drank and shopped their way through the past two weeks of freedom, and there shows no signs of things slowing down.
For the fashion industry, the looming return of social life meant consumers started to reprise their old shopping habits as far back as last month, restocking their wardrobes ahead of the spring social season.
Angela Asparadakis and Virginie Pepin, co-founders of Sydney fashion label Pffeifer, in Bondi.Credit: Louie Douvis
Angela Aspradakis and Virginie Pepin, who launched women’s fashion label Pfeiffer online in 2015 before opening a studio in Bondi at the end of 2019, say the light at the end of the tunnel appeared the moment former premier Gladys Berejiklian detailed the state’s path out of lockdown.
“In the second week of September our sales spiked - and I’m talking a 500 per cent spike,” says Ms Aspradakis. “September 9th was the press conference where Gladys announced that the cabinet was going to release the road map out of lockdown and our sales doubled, tripled - and by the end of the week were up 500 per cent.”
The brand - which counts models Gigi Hadid, Adriana Lima and actress Tessa Thompson as fans - never anticipated a politician’s daily announcements would play a part in their sales.
“Turns out Gladys is a bigger fashion influencer than all the major celebrities who have worn our clothes,” says Ms Pepin.
Meanwhile the CBD - a ghost town while business types worked remotely for the past few months - is slowly returning to life as suits head back to the office and revitalise their look after months of existing in loungewear and activewear.
Farage founder Joe Farage said his boutique had “an overwhelming amount of appointments to outfit grooms and their wedding parties” because a large number of events - especially weddings - had been postponed.
“This along with the start of the racing carnival last weekend has meant that suiting has been at the forefront of wardrobe purchases,” he said.
Joe Farage is seeing more statement dressing since lockdown eased. Credit: Belinda Rolland
Farage has boutiques in Martin Place and The Strand and specialises in custom tailoring, so clients were unable to get their suits fitted during the lockdown. Mr Farage acknowledges the CBD is yet to return to normal, but says his customers were quick to return to the in-store experience.
“Everyone is excited to get really dressed up again, I am seeing more statement dressing from the gents and people are looking forward to wearing sharp suits to weddings and black tie events,” he says.
The last two years of on-and-off stay-at-home orders has been the era of comfort clothing, but now that lockdowns are (hopefully) a thing of the past, people are getting ready to party.
Natalie Khoei and Shadi Kord, founders of online label Meshki, say consumers are now buying clothes they want to be seen wearing.
“Since ‘freedom day’, we have seen a decrease in sales in our ‘athleisure’ category of about 30 per cent on the week prior,” Ms Khoei says. Meanwhile, sales in their ‘party and formal’ category rose about 25 per cent.
“I think everyone’s just excited to get out in the house and wear something other than leggings,” says Ms Kord.
Last week the pair marked their biggest week of sales after launching their latest collection, Aurora, named after the aurora borealis or northern lights. The collection comprises alluring colour and diamanté embellishments.
Ms Khoei says about 50 per cent of the brand’s sales come from NSW and “post-lockdown, our NSW revenue daily average has increased by about 37 per cent”.
Bright colours and prints are hot this summer, with consumers keen to have fun - and show it.
“People want to take risks with their outfit choices ... colours and cutouts are a trend that is being embraced at the moment,” Ms Pepin said.
Ms Aspridikas said there was a “real buzz in the air with fashion” and she expected people to up their game in situations where they may have previously opted for more casual dress.
“When I walk out the front door I’ve never seen people as dressed up as they are now - colours, cutouts and embellishments are all the rage,” she said.
Mr Farage hopes the activewear fad of the pandemic years is consigned to the dustbin of history. “I think [it] will be only sighted at the gym or on the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk,” he says. “Well, that’s my hope.”
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